True-Blue Cowboy--Includes a bonus novella

by Sara Richardson

  “Sorry, Everly.” Dev’s gaze dropped to the floor. “You shouldn’t have been out there alone.”

  “That’s my fault,” she reminded both men. “I wasn’t thinking. I figured the goats would be nearby and I’d bring them right home.” It hadn’t even occurred to her to worry about the mountain lion until it was too late.

  “But we’ve already decided that she’ll have a protective detail from now on,” Mateo said with a private, sly wink at her.

  Oh, yes. She would welcome that protective detail. Especially during the overnight shift.

  “So I’m assuming you told her the news about the farm?” Dev asked.

  Everly gaped at Mateo. “Dev knew before I did?”

  “Dev and Charity caught me running away from the party.”

  “Dev and Charity?” She shot the deputy an impressed frown. “Wow. That sounds promising.”

  “We were just talking.” Dev’s face had turned bright red. “Anyway. I’ll let you two get back to…well…whatever you were doing. Glad you’re gonna be okay, Everly,” he called as he hotfooted it out the door.

  “Thank you, Dev.” Her tone may have teased him. She’d have to remember to ask Charity about her conversation with Dev later.

  Right now, though…she braced her shoulder and inched closer to Mateo. “How about you go find that doctor so you can take me home?”

  Mateo woke in a cold, heart-pounding sweat. He opened his eyes and breathed until his pulse steadied. The mountain lion was gone and Everly was curled up against him in her bed. He turned on his side and draped his arm over her, savoring the feel of her lying next to him, whole and peaceful and almost fully healed.

  Over the last two weeks, he hadn’t slept through the night once. Dreams would jar him awake, sometimes of the mountain lion, sometimes of Andres. They weren’t always nightmares. Some were only images, pieces of the past his mind was still trying to put into place. It was a process, Everly kept reminding him—fitting the past he’d denied for so long into his present. But it was good, too. Good to tell her stories of his adventures with his brother. Good to remember Andres as a kid who’d been so smart and resourceful and tough. Man, had his brother been tough.

  Everly had listened to the stories and always asked questions, coaxing him deeper into the memories. She was good at that, at helping him find meaning in those moments, at helping him understand how they’d shaped him.

  Mateo raised his head to study her face. Even in her sleep, the woman was stunning. That beautiful mouth, curved delicate cheeks…

  Her eyes fluttered open. “What’re you doing?” she asked through a yawn.

  He traced her lips with his finger. “Just admiring you.”

  “Admiring me?” Her nose wrinkled. “Oh God. Really? My hair is awful. It’s frizzy, isn’t it? I can feel it.”

  “No it’s not. It’s soft.” He ran his hand over it. “I like it this way. All wild and messy.” It made her look so free. “I like you this way.” Half naked up against his body, talking in the hushed tones of the early morning.

  “I like you this way, too,” she whispered, turning on her side to face him so that her body was pressed to his.

  He slid his hand up her hip, underneath the John Deere T-shirt that never failed to turn him on. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

  “Well, since I’m awake…” She brought her hands to his chest, skimming her fingers down his abs, his hips…

  He couldn’t hold it together when her fingers stroked him. Couldn’t stay silent, couldn’t stay still. Mateo eased her shirt up and over her head, and then rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him, giving her the control.

  “I like us this way,” she whispered, wriggling until he was fully inside of her, harder than he’d ever thought possible, aching with anticipation, and completely hers.

  Mateo smoothed the hair away from her face so he could see into her eyes, so he could watch her come apart. Sexy little sounds came from her mouth, forced out by her ragged breaths. He loved those sounds, loved how they surged more power through him, how they drove him to tease her and shift his hips to graze her most sensitive spots.

  “Oh my God, Mateo,” she gasped, tensing all over. He watched the explosion take her, forcing out a cry as she rode him harder and let her head fall back when the tremors gripped her body. The sight loosened his control. He lifted his hips off the mattress, thrusting into her once more to meet that blinding, blood-surging crash that sent him reeling. The release trembled all the way through him, and he held her tighter in the midst of it, wanting her to know how good she made him feel.

  Everly collapsed over him in a boneless heap, lifting only her head to peer at his face. Her lips quirked. “You can wake me up anytime you want.”

  “That might get a little old.” Because he wanted her all the time. “I can’t seem to get enough of you.” His hand lazily stroked her back.

  “Did you have another dream?” she asked, resting her cheek on his chest.

  “The mountain lion was chasing Andres. And I couldn’t catch up. I couldn’t help him.” It wasn’t the cat he feared, though. It was the helplessness. His inability to save him. That would always be at the heart of his nightmares.

  Everly propped her chin on her fist and gazed into his eyes. “He knew you loved him, Mateo. He knew or he wouldn’t have written that letter. He meant it for you, too.”

  She’d said it before and somehow she made him believe it. She made him believe in a lot of things. He almost didn’t know what to say. How to thank her. How to tell her what a beautiful person she was.

  So he let his kiss say everything.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Are you sure you should be carrying that tray?” Gus dropped his crossword puzzle on the table and stood. “Let me take it for you.” He shuffled over, his left leg dragging slightly, and muscled the tray of food out of Everly’s hands.

  Even though it had been three weeks since the attack—and one since she’d gotten the stitches out—she let him take it. “You’re so sweet to me.” Everyone had been. Kate and Darla had helped Hilda out for a few days while Everly rested. Even when she had come back to the café, it seemed a different friend would show up every morning ready to help refill coffee and carry things around for her.

  “All of the food goes over here.” She led the way to the tables her friends had pushed together for their Thursday brunch.

  Gus proudly carried the tray and set it on a nearby table. He seemed to strut as he passed Darla, Charity, Jessa, and Naomi.

  “Thank you.” Everly gave the old man a hug. “Now, you’d better get back to your table before Charlie finishes his puzzle first.” The two men always made it a competition, with the winner earning bragging rights for the rest of the day.

  “I’ve only got ten left,” Charlie announced, still bent over the paper.

  “Yeah, well, I had ten left five minutes ago.” Gus lumbered back to his seat and got to work.

  Smiling, Everly started to hand out the tea and scones her friends had requested. “I made an assortment. Chocolate chunk, lemon meringue, carrot cake, and maple glazed.”

  “It’s a damn good thing Mateo came to his senses.” Darla helped herself to one of each flavor. “I’m not sure I could’ve lived without your scones.”

  “Or your frittatas,” Naomi added.

  “Or the cinnamon rolls.” Jessa rubbed her belly. “I swear, that’s all these babies want. Sugar.”

  “At least it’s unrefined sugar.” Everly sat at the head of the table and poured herself a cup of tea.

  “Well, I couldn’t live without this.” Charity gestured to everyone sitting at the table. “All of you. And this place.”

  “Agreed.” Darla lifted her teacup in a toast. “To the café.” She grinned. “And to carbs.”

  “Hear, hear,” Jessa said. They all clinked their teacups together.

  “So, what’re your plans for the place?” Naomi asked.

  “I’m not really sure yet.
” Things had been so crazy since the farewell party. She’d tried to give back all of the donations, but everyone had insisted she keep the money and use it to officially launch her nonprofit. “Mateo’s been gone this week.” Yes, she was pouting. Her bed felt so empty. “He went to see a breeder about purchasing a few more broncs.” He seemed excited about the prospect of raising them to compete in the sport he loved after he retired next year. “I know he’d like to build a bigger barn to house the animals. And I still want to start the co-op and maybe more cooking classes.” But there were so many logistics involved. If she truly wanted to expand, she’d need space, and she didn’t even know how to go about making that happen. “We haven’t talked through any details yet.” Honestly, the thought of all the upgrades this place needed overwhelmed her. She’d much rather deal with getting the programs started.

  “And how is Mateo?” Darla asked with a smirk.

  “He’s good.” The dreamy smile couldn’t be helped. He’d been so good to her, careful and attentive, and oh-so-fun.

  “And you were mad at me for setting you two up.”

  “‘Mad’ isn’t the right word.” She’d been surprised, caught off guard. “But now I am eternally grateful.” She’d needed a little push in putting her heart out there again.

  “I have to admit…” Charity helped herself to another lemon scone. “I’ve never seen Mateo like this. He’s completely whipped.”

  “It’s true.”

  Everly gasped and turned. At some point Mateo must’ve snuck in through the kitchen. “You’re back!” She shot out of the chair, tipping it over, and threw her arms around him.

  “I missed you.” Mateo lifted her feet off the ground and kissed her until her joints started to melt.

  “That’s adorable.” Jessa dabbed at her eyes.

  “Look how happy she is,” Naomi murmured.

  “You’d better keep it that way, young man,” Gus called over.

  “I intend to.” Mateo gave the older man a solemn nod, and then turned his full attention back to Everly. “Do you have a minute?”

  “A minute?” Darla teased. “Come on, Mateo. You can do better than a minute.”

  “He can,” Everly confirmed. She knew from personal experience Mateo could do way better than a minute.

  He shook his head at Darla. “Right now, I just want to talk to her. In the kitchen.”

  “Of course I have a minute.” Everly took his hand and let him lead her away.

  “Don’t violate any health codes in there,” Charity called. Her friends all laughed. Everly did, too. She couldn’t help it.

  “I’m not sure I want to know what you and your friends talk about when I’m not around.” He closed the door to the kitchen and took her in his arms again.

  “Probably not,” she agreed. For the last few years, she’d had to listen to everyone else’s romantic escapades. Now it was kind of fun to have one of her own. “Did you really want to talk to me?” she asked, smoothing her hands over his broad shoulders. “Because we could take more than a minute, if you want.”

  His darkened gaze moved slowly down her body. “I do want, but first I have some news.”

  “Oh?” She stepped backward and leaned against the counter, admiring how he looked in those threadbare jeans and that snug T-shirt. Of course, he would look even better out of them.

  “I talked to a contractor in Denver. Told him about the farm, about the upgrades we need to make it so you can turn it into a nonprofit.”

  “Really?” The excitement in his eyes was contagious.

  “Really. I told him the house needs a whole new exterior and some foundation upgrades, along with updated wiring. And we may need to change out all of the plumbing, too.”

  He said it as though those things were no big deal, but that would add up fast. “It sounds like a lot.”

  Mateo didn’t seem to hear her. “Then there’s the café. I talked to him about adding an addition—a commercial kitchen where we could set you up to teach bigger cooking classes.”

  She glanced around the space. It was cramped, way too cramped to ever manage more than a few people at a time. “I’d love that.” She’d never dreamed it was even a possibility.

  “I thought so.” He collected her hands in his and brought her close again. “The contractor thought he could have the work done within a couple of months, but I didn’t commit to anything. I wanted to talk to you first.”

  “It all sounds amazing.” And necessary. The roof might not survive another mountain winter. “But I don’t know how I would pay for it.”

  Mateo shrugged. “That’s the landlord’s responsibility. Levi has a lead on a sponsorship deal with some new energy drink company. And once you get the nonprofit up and running, you can accept donations, start a board of directors…” The idea seemed to energize him as much as it did her. “I’ll help out however I can. I mean, obviously you’ll be the executive director, but I can help you manage the facilities and inventory and whatever else you don’t want to do.”

  “I love that idea.” Everly blinked faster, but a few tears still managed to slip out.

  Mateo clasped his hands around her waist, pressing her against him. The heat flowing between their bodies nearly had her peeling off her clothes right there.

  “Of course, while they’re doing the work on your house, you might have to move into the trailer with me,” he murmured, moving his hips against hers.

  She did her best to look coy but it was difficult feeling him so hard against her. “I’m not sure about that. I haven’t tried out the bed in there yet.” He’d only gotten the trailer back last week, and they’d been opting for her queen-sized bed instead. “We’d better go give it a test run before I make any hasty decisions.”

  Mateo was already slipping his hands up her shirt. “What about your friends?”

  “They’ll understand.” She tugged on his waist until he followed her out the door.

  Epilogue

  Eight months later…

  Get back here, Walter.” Everly cornered the duck against the fence and lunged to capture him, but he dodged her and hightailed it to the right, waddling as fast as his webbed feet could go all the way across the pen.

  Dante took off after him, barking and yipping his happy song, always thrilled when the duck gave him permission to play chase. Walter hated chase. He toddled back to Everly quacking like his tail feathers were on fire, and allowed himself to be swept up into her arms for protection.

  “Good boy, Dante,” she crooned, holding the duck securely against her chest.

  Mateo let himself in through the gate and sauntered over to join her. “Sometimes it feels like we’re running a circus instead of a farm.”

  “Yes, but it’s our circus.” She stretched to her tiptoes to give Mateo a kiss, smooshing the duck between them.

  “That’s why I love it,” he murmured, trailing his finger down her cheek. “Because it’s ours.”

  Everly went to kiss him again but Walter squirmed and almost escaped. “Oh no you don’t, mister.” She tightened her grip.

  “You’re really going to make him wear this?” Mateo held up the red bowtie she’d made especially for Walter. “The poor duck. He’ll never hear the end of it from the hens.”

  Walker quacked irritably as though agreeing.

  “Yes, he has to wear it.” She gently fit the bowtie on over the duck’s head. “There. It’s perfect. You look absolutely adorable,” she assured Walter. He had always been something of a mascot for the farm, and he would be the official greeter for their open house.

  Adjusting the bowtie, Everly leaned back to take a look. “It’s perfect. Don’t you think?”

  Mateo cracked up. “Red is definitely his color.”

  Ignoring the sarcasm, Everly set the duck on the ground and Walter took off quacking and flapping his wings. Dante followed behind at a respectable distance, keeping watch over the animals the way Mateo had trained him to.

  “I’m just glad you didn’t make
me wear one of those things.” Mateo pulled her close, overwhelming her senses with her favorite smell in the world—that leathery spicy manly essence that never failed to bring her comfort or peace or relief…whatever she needed in the moment.

  “You don’t need a bowtie to look hot.” She eyed his body with a smirk. “But thank you for choosing a shirt with buttons on it. That means a lot to me.”

  Mateo tugged at the collar as if it annoyed him. “It’s the only shirt I own that has to be ironed.” He undid the top button. “I’d be happy to take it off for you.”

  “Mmm.” She slid her fingers up to the opening. “You will. Later. Right now we have to get ready to greet our guests.” Hordes of people would start arriving at the farm any minute.

  For months she’d been focused on developing the programs and plans for crops and animals while Mateo had taken care of the business side of things. Smart man that he was, he’d enlisted Naomi to plan the open house for them. The idea was to showcase the new programs and classes so they could invite the entire community to participate.

  Taking Mateo’s hand, she led him on one more round to make sure they were all set—first to the food tent to check on Hilda, then over to the goat pens, then past the stables they’d had built for Amigo and two new horses. “I guess we’re ready.” Nerves fired up in her stomach again as they passed the upgraded farmhouse. It was still the same cozy little place, but now it gleamed with new siding and a fresh coat of paint. They’d picked a metal roof that would keep the snow off in the winter, and had even worked together to reconstruct the rambling front porch.

  “Everything is going to be perfect.” Mateo gathered her against his side and they ambled along together the same way they did most evenings after dinner.

  “I just hope everyone jumps on board.” Instead of a party this time, the event was designed to get people involved—to sign up for the co-op and the classes, to learn more about serving on the board, and to commit to volunteering with the kids’ programs she planned to start. She’d been working on it all for months, but she still had her doubts that she could do this.